Accelerate Mitchell

CO.STARTERS is a program designed to provide you with insights, relationships, and tools to turn your idea into action and a sustainable business. 

If you're an aspiring entrepreneur, or a seasoned entrepreneur looking to launch a new product or service, CO.STARTERS is for you. The one requirement is that you have to have a concept you are ready to test and be willing to study, shape and fine-tune in a supportive, collaborative, and welcoming environment. If you're creative, community-minded, and serious about turning your passion into a thriving business, we want you.

Don't miss your chance to enroll in the CO. StARTERS business accelerator program!

Program Details

During CO. STARTERS, you’ll develop and fine-tune your idea, critically examining every part of it and plan your next steps through feedback from people in the community. The program is facilitated by active local entrepreneurs and educators, and guest speakers include specialists and professionals from the Mitchell area in marketing, branding, legal and finance agencies, as well as other entrepreneurs. The course consists of eleven sessions; the last session will be a Startup Pitch Night featuring cohort members. We are currently running one cohort per year starting in May 2022. During that time, we'll cover the following topics:

There are 10 sessions from 3-6 p.m. 

This session will start on Monday, September 15, and will happen every Monday through November 24. Please note that we will not meet on October 13 for Indigenous Peoples Day. 

The CO.STARTERS Business Accelerator Program is currently offered at a cost of $100 per participant, which includes all program materials and resources. Scholarships are available, so please inquire if cost is a barrier. Upon graduation, participants will receive a free membership with the Mitchell Area Chamber of Commerce through September 2026. Participants will also benefit from Q&A sessions with local entrepreneurs, support from Dakota Resources, Startup Sioux Falls, and MCOC/MADC during and after the program, and invitations to alumni networking and workshop events. Graduates will leave with a deeper understanding of how to create a sustainable business, clearly articulate their business model, and apply the process to future business ideas.

Payments can be mailed or dropped off to the Mitchell Chamber of Commerce at 601 N Main St., Mitchell, SD 57301. 

Applications for CO.STARTERS Accelerator Program in Mitchell are available now. The deadline for applications is Friday, August 29, 2025. 

Sessions will be held at the Kelley Center, located in the Dakota Wesleyan University School of Business, Innovation, and Leadership. 

Refreshments will be provided at each session. 

Dr. Diana Goldammer is the director of the Kelley Center for Entrepreneurship and an associate professor at Dakota Wesleyan University. With expertise in leadership, coaching, and innovation, she helps individuals and organizations think entrepreneurially from wherever they are. A farm wife, mom, and community leader, she brings real-world wisdom—and harvest-season grit—to every training she leads.